How to Create a Professional Resume

Overall Summary of the Instructions

Creating a professional resume involves several important steps that present your qualifications, skills, and experience in the best light to potential employers. This guide will help you craft a compelling resume that can enhance your job application process.

TLDR Section

• Choose the right resume format.
• Add your contact information.
• Write a compelling summary or objective.
• List your work experience and achievements.
• Detail your education.
• Highlight relevant skills.
• Include additional sections like certifications or volunteer work.
• Proofread and format professionally.

Step-by-Step Detailed Guide

Step 1: Choose the Right Resume Format

• Chronological: Focuses on your work history, listing jobs in reverse chronological order.
• Functional: Highlights skills and experiences, ideal for those with gaps in employment or changing careers.
• Combination: Mixes both chronological and functional elements.

Step 2: Add Your Contact Information

• Include your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile.
• Optional: Home address, personal website or portfolio.

Step 3: Write a Compelling Summary or Objective

• Summary: A brief statement summarizing your professional background and key achievements. Ideal for experienced professionals.
• Objective: A short statement about your career goals and what you aim to achieve in the new role. Suitable for entry-level job seekers.

Step 4: List Your Work Experience

• Start with your most recent job and work backwards.
• Include job title, company name, location, and dates of employment.
• Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements, starting each bullet with action verbs.

Step 5: Detail Your Education

• List your highest degree first, including the name of the institution, degree obtained, and graduation date.
• Optional: Relevant coursework, honors, or academic achievements.

Step 6: Highlight Relevant Skills

• Create a skills section that showcases both hard (technical) and soft (interpersonal) skills relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Step 7: Include Additional Sections

• Certifications: List any relevant certifications along with the issuing organization and date earned.
• Volunteer Work: Include any volunteer experience that is relevant to the job or demonstrates desirable skills.
• Awards and Honors: Mention any awards or recognitions received.

Step 8: Proofread and Format Professionally

• Check for spelling and grammatical errors.
• Ensure consistency in font style and size, margin settings, and bullet points.
• Use professional and easy-to-read fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
• Save your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting.